Speaking when Liyel Imoke, the former governor of the state paid him a visit on Saturday, October 31, 2020, the Obong said the attack happened partly because the governor was not holding regular security meetings.

The monarch said, “He (Ayade) has not been holding security meeting regularly. This thing would not have happened if he had called the security people together after hearing what happened in Lagos and other places; If he had called them together and tell them, look my friends; nothing should happen in my state.

“The Governor should be able to open his door for people to come in, and should work with everybody. We have to face it; we don’t need to play around with it; we cannot continue this way. You tell him that there is a need for total reconciliation; a total rehabilitation of whatever he has been doing.

“Everybody matters in this state. He should be able to talk to people. He wouldn’t call you and even when you call him, he doesn’t answer the call. Nobody talks to him.”

Reacting to the monarch’s claim, a media aide to the governor, Christian Ita said it is doubtful that his principal would ignore a call from the Obong of Calabar, adding that the governor holds the monarch in high esteem.

Ita said, “He couldn’t have ignored the monarch’s phone calls.

“It is unfair for him to call for the governor, who has done all in his power very sincerely to enhance the fortunes of the state, to step aside.”